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Herbaceous Perennial

Liatris pycnostachya

Kansas gay feather

An upright, clump-forming, short-lived perennial to 1.5m tall with basal tufts of narrow, lance-shaped dark green leaves from which arise the tall flowering stems in summer with feathery flowerheads of many small purple-pink flowers opening from top to bottom

Other common names

cat-tail gay feather
dense-spiked button snakeroot
see moreprairie button

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Asteraceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
Genus: Liatris are herbaceous perennials with narrow, grass-like foliage and erect, bottlebrush-like spikes of flowers which open from the top down
Name status: Correct
Plant range: C and E USA

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil that is not wet overwinter; full sun is essential

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Prairie planting
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Deadhead regularly then cut stems down to the ground in winter

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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